“Exclusive lifestyles are profoundly antisocial. They lead to the creation residential and commercial ghettos. Inclusive culture makes space for and welcomes people of all cultures, abilities and income levels,” writes Kimberly Smith. We need more of the latter, and thinking about cohousing may get us there.
February 5th is the first day of a human rights hearing regarding the province’s provision of supportive housing for people with disabilities. We’ve written quite a bit about this topic, going back to the days I wrote for the Halifax Media Co-op. I hope to be there on Monday, and as much as I can during the sessions after that.
Some residents of Emerald Hall,a locked psychiatric ward in the Nova Scotia Hospital, have no reason to be there, except for it being a convenient solution for the province. Their human rights case is crawling along because Community Services is using stalling tactics, a community living advocate charges.
Kendall Worth, inspired by a documentary we recently featured, makes a passionate plea to get serious about inclusion and community living. Kendall lives with several invisible disabilities, and he knows all too well what he is speaking of.
This weekend we feature a heartwarming and important short documentary about Tammy Parker and the life she carved out for herself in Wolfville, bringing joy wherever she went. It illustrates how inclusion benefits an entire community.
Abuse at institutions for people living with intellectual disabilities continues to affect way too many many residents, a recent Freedom of Information request reveals. The institutions are regulated by the Department of Community Services.
Meanwhile, legislation to ensure that vulnerable residents are protected against abuse and incidents properly investigated is not effective, advocates say.
Gerianne Hull, who has cerebral palsy, is fighting to get additional home care supports so that she can continue to live an independent life in the community. Leo Glavine, the minister of Health and Wellness, says no, rules are rules. It appears that one of those rules is that you can’t appeal those rules with an independent arbitrator.
MLAs of all parties formally ask Community Services to reinstate funding for the NS Association for Community Living.